Vietnam – a French Colony no more  France, after ruling Vietnam or over 100 years was defeated by Gen. Giap at battle of Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave.

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Presentation on theme: "Vietnam – a French Colony no more  France, after ruling Vietnam or over 100 years was defeated by Gen. Giap at battle of Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave."— Presentation transcript:

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Vietnam – a French Colony no more  France, after ruling Vietnam or over 100 years was defeated by Gen. Giap at battle of Dien Bien Phu-forced to leave Vietnam.  The Vietminh take over and declare Vietnam Independent  France & Vietnam signed Geneva Peace Accords of 1954-split Vietnam along 17th parallel.

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The United States Steps in  Geneva Accords stated that in 1956 Vietnam would hold elections to reunify country.  US worried Ho Chi Minh was too popular and would win so the US doesn’t allow elections to take place  Why? Domino Theory

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North vs South  The North led by Ho Chi Minh  Communist  Vietminh  Supported by the Viet Cong in the South later called the National Liberation Front  South led by Ngo Dinh Diem  Supported by US  US supported creation of counter- revolutionary group in S. Vietnam

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Pros of GW in Vietnam o Easy to slip into a village; look like civilians o More cooperation from other Vietnamese o Easy supply system o Territory and topography already known o Used rainy season as cover o Easy to attain civilian help in ambushes and information Cons of GW in Vietnam o Un-organization easily occurs o Renegade or untrained troops confuse strategy o High rates of civilian casualties o Can ruin economic development o It is a long drawn out process; low moral o Can kill own civilians with unremembered booby traps and mines

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o Extended from N Vietnam to S Vietnam o Est and used by N. Vietnamese troops for a major military supply route o Goes through Laos and Cambodia on its way to S. Vietnam o main route for invasion of S. Vietnam in 1975 The Ho Chi Minh Trail

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o built in the time of the French o joined village to village and often passed beneath American bases o not only fortifications for Viet Cong guerillas, but also center of community life o several stories deep and housed up to 10,000 people, supplies and weapons o connected isolated pockets of Viet Cong territory enabled the guerrillas to mount surprise attacks and vanish without trace The Underground Tunnels

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o Punji sticks were sharpened sticks of bamboo concealed and designed to pierce the enemy’s feet; many times they were contaminated to cause disease o Bamboo maces swung down onto soldiers who triggered tripwires; also used crossbows o Land mines were a favorite of guerilla forces and they were taken from the U.S.S.R., the French, and even U.S. troops Anti-Personnel Weapons

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War at Home - copy  Great Society Suffers – money spent on war and not on helping poor at home  Living- room war – media heightens American concern  Manipulatable Draft – different qualifications, if in college could put off service or join National Guard or Coast Guard  African Americans were disproportionately drafted

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Tet Offensive  This offensive by the Viet Cong in S. Vietnam shows Americans at home that “We are not winning this war”  Turning point in public opinion  LBJ decides not to seek reelection

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Protests at Home  New Left organization SDS – Students for a Democratic Society demanded participatory democracy & Free Speech  20,000 Marched on the White House in 1965  Resistance – “Hell No We Won’t Go!”  Doves vs. Hawks

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Kent State Tragedy  Students in Ohio protest the secret bombings in Cambodia  Governor sends in National Guard  Shooting erupts  4 students are killed  Colleges across country are shut down